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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mate — to breed
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. march — the month
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — in football
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pass — a permit
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. march — the month
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mate — a friend
  22. march — music
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com